How a Foot and Ankle Institute Provides Specialized Care
A foot and ankle institute can give you a professional assessment and treat most conditions. Leading practitioners offer treatment and care for bunions, corns, calluses, heel pain, hammertoes, Achilles tendonitis, and diabetic foot ulcers. They could also perform surgeries like ankle joint replacement and help manage the rehabilitation of sports-related injuries. Here’s how foot and ankle centers provide specialized care:
Specialized care for foot conditions requires a comprehensive assessment and personalized treatment by experienced doctors. The appropriate foot doctor is usually determined during your first foot and ankle institute visit. Leading centers have teams of podiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and general medicine physicians. The teams work together to provide specialized care when treating pathological conditions of the lower leg, ankle, and feet.
Your doctor may use X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans to assess the severity of the condition or injury. They also perform a gait analysis to evaluate your walk, jog, and run. Other examinations include ultrasound-guided diagnostics to check for soft tissue injuries. They will conduct a medical review at the first appointment to assess your lifestyle, diet, medication, past surgeries, family history, and other risk factors. A comprehensive diagnosis provides conclusive information to determine your condition’s ideal treatment and rehabilitation.
Foot and ankle centers offer specialized surgical treatments, including minimally invasive procedures, reconstructive surgeries, fusions, and joint replacements. Your doctor might recommend minimally invasive procedures for bunions, hammertoes, and ingrown toenails. Bunions push the big toe against neighboring toes, causing the big toe joint to move outward. The condition causes redness and soreness and may look unsightly. Hammertoes form when the proximal interphalangeal joint bends.
Ingrown toenails occur when the side of your toenail grows into the surrounding soft tissues of the nail groove. Reconstructive surgery is often used for severe issues, fractures, and sports injuries. Fusion surgeries and ankle joint replacements may be used to treat arthritis and other conditions that damage joint function. Leading institutes may use surgery for conditions that don’t improve with non-invasive treatments. Surgery could help relieve pain and irritation caused by foot and ankle issues while restoring function and aesthetics.
Surgery may help conditions caused by trauma and degeneration, but most foot and ankle issues improve with conservative care. Foot and ankle centers provide several non-surgical treatments, including foot orthotics, medication, and physical therapy. Ankle foot orthosis controls your ankle’s motion and position to resolve biomechanical issues, compensate for weakness, or gradually correct deformities.
Doctors also use custom foot orthotics to reduce chronic foot pain, realign foot joints, and provide support while walking, running, or standing. Pain relievers may be prescribed to relieve the discomfort caused by corns, calluses, and other foot conditions. Your doctor could recommend physical therapy to strengthen affected joints, muscles, and ligaments, leading to a full recovery from your injury.
Injury Management and Wound Care
Sports injuries like sprains, stress fractures, and Achilles tendon tears require specialized care and rehabilitation programs. Foot and ankle doctors provide injury prevention assistance and physical therapy to promote full recovery of function and mobility after an injury.
Diabetic foot care involves caring for wounds, ulcers, and infections, and preventative screening for neuropathy and circulation issues. Your foot doctor may recommend custom footwear, medication, or physical therapy for comprehensive care. Specialized care for diabetes, neuropathy, and poor circulation can help prevent foot complications and address cuts, blisters, and open sores.
Consult a Foot and Ankle Institute Today
Foot and ankle issues keep you from walking, running, standing, or enjoying other activities. The pain can also lead to compensating, which affects your gait and causes stress on other parts of the body. Speak to a foot and ankle institute today for more information about specialized care for different conditions.